Silver was discovered in 1849 on the west
bank of the Organ Mountains by a Mexican in partnership with
an American named Hugh Stephenson. In a few years, Stephenson
became sole owner of the mine and ultimately sold to an army
officer named Bennett at Fort Fillmore for $12,500. The mine
was a good producer of silver and lead until 1889 at which time
the mine was worked out. The settlement had a population of around
one hundred and was known as San Augustine when the post office
was established in 1876. When the mine ceased operations, the
miners scattered and the town disappeared. Courtesy Henry Chenoweth.